Friday, September 23, 2016

Some Conservatives Believe We No Longer Need Public Libraries

To my amazement, a family member once argued that we ought to do away
with libraries in the digital age. This is one who has few books in the
house but as a child was taken to children's reading gatherings by
their mother and whose household was full of books on a wide variety of topics.

That same mother, on one of my first tours of her home town, took me proudly to the Free Public Library that was the center of this historic city. I'll never forget that about her or that city.

Libraries are more than storage facilities; they are
community gathering places.

A place where many people access the
internet.

A place for children's reading gatherings.

A place for story
tellers, public readings by authors and poetry contests.

A place
for public meetings for those engaged in their community. and for
writers to share idea and for adult and summer education.

A place for
low income people without money for Amazon.com
or Barnes & Noble books, digital or otherwise to go and borrow
books for free, perhaps the group that might benefit the most from
enhanced education through reading.

A place for people with noisy or
inhospitable household to study and read in quiet and peace.

Many libraries across the country give refuge to the homeless during the day.

A place for
performing and visual arts and so much more.

There is now some
research that says cognition is still better with reading from hard
copy. They are one of the really good things tax dollars support, making
small thinking bigger and a place to share ideas face to face. Or alone, reading and absorbing knowledge. This encounter has gnawed on me for a long time and a Facebook share from another family member inspired this defense of free public libraries.

About Me

Moved to Wilmington, Delaware in mid-2013. Resided in Houston, Texas for 45 years. A widower, married Julie Jackson in 2007. Retired as a hospital marketing consultant in 2001.Have been a Democratic Party political activist for most of my adult life, organizing and mobilizing for the Party and its candidates. Consider myself a progressive populist. Early career included running communications for 35 campaigns. Have formed and led committees dealing with voter mobilization and precinct organizing, counter voter suppression and strategy.Co-founded the Progressive Populist Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party. Have served on the Texas Democratic Party Platform Committee numerous times. Also an active organizer for the anti-war movement since Vietnam and was active in the civil rights movement.